The Case Against Nick Heidfeld

Nick Heidfeld, a quiet, reserved German, veteran of 146 F1 races, a professional and well liked in F1 circles. He has always been a driver that people regard as talented but always lacked a good car. He has demonstrated that he can be quick, consistent and reliable. Nick has done a solid job for BMW-Sauber. However, BMW-Sauber can do without Heidfeld. Up and coming driver, Robert Kubica has emerged as the true leader of the team in that he has demonstrated his quickness and his ability to adapt and develop. Also, he has already achieved what Heidfeld has failed to do in 146 races...win. Although Heidfeld has bounced from team to team in his career, teams find him talented enough to continue to employ him.

However, I believe the beginning of the end for Heidfeld was in 2006, when 1997 F1 World Champion, Jacques Villeneuve was his teammate. After performing well at Williams in 2005, then engine supplier BMW brought Heidfeld with them when they acquired the Sauber F1 team. Heidfeld looked rather average against Villeneuve, a driver many had considered to be over the hill. It was assumed that the car was rather average and Heidfeld was doing the maximum with the car.

BMW-Sauber decided to replace Villeneuve during the season with test driver Robert Kubica. In his first race, the 2006 Hungarian GP, he impressed a lot of people in variable conditions. Then almost as if a switch was turned on, Nick Heidfeld raised his game seemingly being able to extract more performance out of the car. It was at that moment, Heidfeld was truly exposed as not having the internal motivation or the ability to move a team ahead in my opinion. A team does not need a driver like that, particularly at the price needed to retain him. In addition to this apparent lack of motivation, given the reduction of testing and the fact that there is a single tire supplier and engine development is virtually frozen, there has been a reduction in the importance of car development skills from a driver. This diminishes the need of one of Heidfeld's strengths hence reduces his value to the team.

So, who would replace Heidfeld? There have been rumors linking Fernando Alonso with BMW-Sauber, but I will tell why BMW does not need Alonso. They have Kubica. Kubica sits 4th in the championship with a real shot of finishing 3rd overall in the 3rd best team. Although Kubica and Alonso reportedly have a very good relationship, it is rather different to be friends as teammates in a sport where your teammate is considered your biggest rival because he has the same car. BMW may think twice about Alonso for fears of reliving the drama that was McLaren in 2007.

An ideal 2nd driver for BMW-Sauber would be current reserve and test driver Christian Klien. There would be little conflict from Klien in supporting a championship push for Kubica and BMW in 2009. Klien has experience with nearly 50 F1 races under his belt, he already knows the BMW equipment, he generally does not make a mess of things on track, and he is cheaper than Heidfeld. If he can provide similar results to Heidfeld at a reduced cost and perhaps provide a different exposure to sponsors, then the choice of Klien would be a good, safe choice to support Kubica.

In conclusion, it is rather simple; if one was to look at Heidfeld objectively he amounts to a journeyman driver that will keep the car on track and not make any waves that would damage the team PR-wise. That might work for a team like Toro Rosso or Force India, but not a team that is looking to get championships like BMW-Sauber.

Formula One Testing: Monza Summary

In Formula One, teams conduct tests throughout the season. These tests are done to try out new parts and work on their reliability, experiment with the car's set up, confirm aerodynamic modifications that have been done on the computer and in the windtunnel and sometimes evaluate prospective drivers. This week, F1 teams were in Monza, Italy for 3 days to conduct work for the final push in the 2008 season.

There was something worth noting before testing began. Renault planned to conduct tire experiments. Ever since Nelson Piquet showed good pace and finished 2nd in Germany after a period behind the safety car, the team has believed that a slow few laps when tires first run has improved their consistency over longer distances. Fernando Alonso thought testing this was necessary to isolate and see if running a few slow laps improves the performance of the Bridgestone tire with the Renault R28 chassis.

Honda Team Principal Ross Brawn believes, "it's just putting them through a gentle duty cycle to make the tire more resilient for the race. So I guess that's why they are doing it. We can see the benefit of it, but it's balancing everything else you want to achieve. Possibly it depends on your car or the tires that are available." This "scrubbing in" of the tires, is actually something teams have done for a long time in NASCAR.

On the first day of actual Monza testing, Ferrari driver, Felipe Massa set the fastest time on the historic high speed circuit in which he worked on developing the aerodynamic package for the Italian Grand Prix, concentrating on the car’s set-up. BMW-Sauber driver, Nick Heidfeld, in his BMW F1.08, tested mechanical set-ups as well as suspension, aerodynamic work and gearbox ratios. Renault worked on the aero package as well as tire evaluation.

On day 2 of testing, BMW-Sauber driver, Nick Heidfeld set the fastest time of the 3 day test as he worked on the car's set-up. Renault worked on brakes and car set-up and balance. McLaren, with Hekki Kovalainen at the wheel continued worked on Monza-spec aerodynamic package and tire evaluations. In addition to doing aerodynamic work, Red Bull's Mark Webber worked on car set-up and suspension comparsion tests.

On the final day of testing, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time of day followed by Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Renault's Fernando Alonso worked on car set-up and some suspension work with the goal of improving the car's behavior through the chicanes. BMW-Sauber's Robert Kubica worked on aerodynamic and mechanical set-up for the F1.08. Force India's Giancarlo Fisichella completed a positive test with a surprising 3rd quickest time after a massive 114 laps.

Teams now make their preparations for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.

Phil Hill: First American F1 Champion has died

Quoted and edited from Autosport.com:

"Motor racing legend and the only American-born Formula One world champion Phil Hill has died tonight in a California hospital due to complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 81 years old.

Phil Hill won the world championship driving for Ferrari in 1961, becoming the first American to do so, later to be followed only by Mario Andretti. But Hill remains to date the only native-born American to win the title."

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo paid tribute to 1961 world champion Phil Hill saying he will miss the American's passion and love for the Italian marque. In a statement issued shortly after news broke of Hill's passing, di Montezemolo said: "I, as well as all employees of Ferrari, am extremely saddened by the news of the passing of Phil Hill, a man and a champion who gave so much to Ferrari and who has always greatly represented the company's values inside and outside the racing track."

http://www.philhill.com/

Rest in Peace.

Eco-friendly Formula One

Everything is going "green" these days and that is not a bad thing. There has been a huge uptick in energy prices as well as concerns for carbon footprints and greenhouse gas emissions. If you have watched the Olympics you have seen the smog, athletes wearing masks, and the efforts of the Chinese to reduce the pollution prior to the games; Formula One is not any different. So, how does an industry such as Formula One that wastes fuel and pollutes for the sake of entertainment become environmentally friendly and conscious? Well, like anything in F1, it is done through action, technology and marketing.

Firstly, F1 is carbon neutral. the FIA, F1's governing body, worked behind the scenes to make F1 carbon neutral since 1997. It has been financially supporting the Scolel Te project in southern Mexico to offset the emissions caused by both the Formula One World Championship and the World Rally Championship. The FIA offsets the greenhouse gas emissions of the two world championships through buying credits in the project's trust fund, the Fonfo BioClimatico. I have my opinion about cap and trade systems, but given the nature of what F1 is and what it's purpose for existing is, it is a commendable effort.

Secondly, the introduction of the KERS in 2009. The purpose of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) is to recover energy used by the car in braking and recycle it back to be stored energy in batteries. This will help save fuel and reduce green house gas emissions while in theory adding to the on track show by having this recycled, extra power and will be available via a "boost" button.

Finally, Honda's Earthdreams campaign. Honda embarked on a project to raise environmental awareness in 2007. Earthdreams is a unique global positive marketing programme whose message was carried on last year's RA107 race cars via a dynamic livery of the Earth in space. They have carried on with the theme on this year's RA108 and the initiative is supported throughout Honda Racing F1. The earthdreams initiative is a long term commitment which is based on Honda's core values of good corporate citizenship. $1.2million has been committed, $700,000 of which has already been allocated to environmental charities such as Marine Stewardship Council, Green Light Trust and Wiser Earth.


Although these measures are being undertaken by the sport, I have some regrets and criticisms. In sportscar racing in the 1980's there was Group C. This was a formula based on fuel consumption. It is kind of like "hypermiling" but only at 200mph over a race distance of 600+ miles with a maximum fuel use of 132 gallons; by racing standards, a rather difficult achievement. An example of this concept was explained by former Benetton F1 mechanic and SPEEDTV analyst Steve Matchett in regards to Michael Schumacher and his Group C days (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xazImNY0hNg). Drivers had to drive more efficiently and manufacturers had to produce more efficient engines. Why F1 could not introduce comparable limits is a mystery. In addition, in the early 1990's teams were looking into regenerative braking systems which would have made the cars more efficient. This would have been a beneficial racing application because teams were not allowed to refuel the car during the race. However at the end of 1993, the FIA in an effort to reduce the reliance on technology, banned a whole range of electronic "gizmos" in an effort to elevate the importance of the drivers and improve the show as well as allowed for teams to refuel the cars. From an environmental standpoint one can argue that it set back "green" technology for racing back a decade. Moreover, I believe that F1 would have perfected hybrid technology for today's market long ago and it would have had a more sporting and acceptable image to the masses. Also, I believe that car manufacturers would have implemented this technology in road cars sooner as the market would have called for it sooner due to exposure in F1.


We now have this introduction of greener technology such as the KERS however there are calls that the system as constituted is not very advanced. Toyota engine chief Luca Marmorini said in an interview with Italian magazine Autosprint, "the adoption of energy recovery leaves me rather perplexed because the system chosen by the FIA is really primitive. (They are) extremely simplified compared to the system we have on the Toyota Prius road car, or even on the Toyota Supra HV-R that won the 24 Hours of Tokachi. The potential of hybrid engines is immense, but the solution chosen by the FIA restricts itself to recover energy from the rear wheels. The parameters involved should be more. Let's say that, if the Supra that races at Tokachi recovers 70% of the dissipated energy, the system chosen for F1 restricts itself to 20%. This system will end up being the same for everyone too, and in this case we'll refer to it as an accessory, devaluing a great technical issue along the way."


Still, even after these sorts of statements, Toyota is unsure if the KERS will be ready for 2009. The system is experiencing some problems and there are concerns about safety. This past July there have been 2 publicized incidents related to KERS; a factory fire at Red Bull Racing and a BMW Sauber mechanic was electrocuted and knocked to the ground during a test when he touched the car. Again, perhaps if F1 was allowed to continue working on similar systems in the 1990's or had adopted strict fuel limits like in Group C, it would not be a concern.


I certainly applaud and like the continued push, but I am to wonder what could have been. Still, I rather it be late than never.

Driver File: Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen came on to the F1 scene as a driver with only 23 races in a car period, but it did not take very long for F1 brass to figure out this man from Finland with the cool exterior had superior talent. In the first F1 tests for Sauber, he impressed. Team Principal, Peter Sauber said of Raikkonen, "there are several aspects why we very strongly believe that Raikkonen is the right man for us; first of all his very professional approach towards his work and his astonishing maturity considering his age. Even more impressive is his natural speed."

Interestingly enough, the FIA and other luminaries in the sport, did not see it the same way. The FIA were reluctant to issue Raikkonen a super license. A driver needs this license if he or she is to compete in Formula One. Former World Champion Keke Rosberg said, "The world will change if Raikkonen gets a super license. It will turn the whole driver market on its head. In my day it would never have happened because there was massive power and a lack of road-holding. You just could not have done it." Nevertheless, after much wrangling Raikkonen was granted his super license and was eligible to drive for the Sauber team in 2001. However, he still had his doubters; like FIA president Max Mosley: "I do not believe that they (F1 Commission) adopted a defensible position in giving an inexperienced driver like Raikkonen a license. It is quite wrong given that we have strict criteria for graduation into F1. When there is a major accident caused by the presence of very inexperienced drivers in F1, I'm the one who will have to explain it to the world's media and television cameras." Well, in Raikkonen's very first Grand Prix, he promptly finished 6th on the lead lap.

Raikkonen moved to McLaren in 2002 in which he continued to demonstrate the promise of a potentially dominant World Champion and almost taking the title in 2003 in competitive but not great equipment.

In 2005, McLaren had the equipment, had the speed, had Raikkonen, but they lacked the reliability of eventual champions, Renault and Fernando Alonso. In many eyes, this lack of reliability cost Kimi Raikkonen the 2005 World Championship. Some squarely placed blame on the fragility of the McLaren package while others, myself included, placed critical responsibility for some of the reliability issues on Raikkonen. There were times in which he drove outside the limits of the car. One case in point was the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola. It was reported that the drivers were told to mind the driveshafts and use of curbs. Kimi proceeded to blitz the field at the beginning of the race; he brokedown inside of 10 laps due to a driveshaft failure. Also, one had to question some of the motivation to develop his skills in other areas such as testing and car development.

Late into the 2006, it was announced that Kimi Raikkonen had signed with Ferrari for 2007 to replace the retiring Michael Schumacher. It was generally seen as a match of the fastest car and fastest driver in F1. However, there were murmurs about the choice and how he would function in other capacities:

Former 3 time World Champion Niki Lauda stated, "...Raikkonen can drive fast, but he can't do anything else, so Ferrari must give him a complete car." It worked at McLaren, but they're not an emotional team like Ferrari. The Italians, by contrast, need the human component, and Michael was ideal for this. He could get the whole thing working. I can't see Kimi doing the same."

Ferrari's Chief Track Engineer, Luca Baldisseri said, "I don't know Raikkonen well: we only have information from the engineers who worked with him at Sauber. Well, when he gets inside the car he gets his job done very well, he's very quick, but Schumacher knew how to do other things too and created an incredible relationship with the team. He contributed to produce winning cars, while now it will be up to us to give the driver a car capable of winning."

As 2007 progressed, it seemed that some of these concerns were perhaps valid. After 10 races, the much feared combination of Raikkonen and Ferrari could only yield 4th place and 52 points, 18 points behind then leader Lewis Hamilton and 7 points behind teammate, Felipe Massa. Then the last 6 races Raikkonen tore through the deficit, capitalizing on the mistakes, dysfunction and misfortune of Alonso, Hamilton and Massa and captured the elusive World Championship that stymied him twice before.

In 2008, Raikkonen seems rather average given his level of equipment, but is still in prime position to strike and defend his championship. However, with continued rumors he actually may retire and continued emergence of teammate Felipe Massa, the full dream potential of the Raikkonen/Ferrari partnership is not all that fulfilling. You can probably say given the expectations, it is disappointing.

Next Driver File: The Phenom, Lewis Hamilton

European Grand Prix: Massa Dominates

Reminiscent of his dominant performance at Hungary, Felipe Massa put on a show at Valencia. He is now fulfilling the potential that made Michael Schumacher a fan of Massa since his early days after a very shaky start to the season. Nevertheless, there is some drama as Massa is being investigated for a pit lane incident. It is doubtful they will take away the win but one never knows. Updates will follow after the investigation.

McLaren generally had a very quiet race, but Hamilton did what he had to do in light of not being able to match Massa, finish 2nd. Moreover, Hamilton extends his point lead in the championship.

European GP Race Classification:

1. Massa Ferrari
2. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes
3. Kubica BMW Sauber
4. Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes
5. Trulli Toyota
6. Vettel Toro Rosso-Ferrari
7. Glock Toyota
8. Rosberg Williams-Toyota
9. Heidfeld BMW Sauber
10. Bourdais Toro Rosso-Ferrari
11. Piquet Renault
12. Webber Red Bull-Renault
13. Button Honda
14. Fisichella Force India-Ferrari
15. Nakajima Williams-Toyota
16. Barrichello Honda
17. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault

Fastest lap: Massa, 1:38.708


In terms of points of interest for the race:

1. Force India. They did show an increase in pace and they did get a least one car off the last row thanks to veteran driver, Giancarlo Fisichella. However, their results have appeared not to have changed substantially as Fisichella finished 14th. Nevertheless, we will see how the season finishes out with the performance and development of their gearbox.

2. Bridge section of the new Valencia track. The situation never materialized and was dealt with swiftly by FIA safety delegate, Charlie Whiting. Bridgestone Director of Motorsport Tire Development, Hirohide Hamashima accepted Whiting's position and confirmed the opinion in practice. "Charlie said that the gap in curbs are much bigger than the gap on the bridge, so anyway he said wait and see - and it has all been okay. At the moment the tires have no problem, no damage, so we are very happy." At qualifying end and race end there were no problems.

3. Toyota. A typical quick qualifying session for Jarno Trulli as he always has been a good qualifier and after starting the race with a lot of fuel, Timo Glock put in a very solid drive. Although Toyota were helped out by the fact Fernando Alonso was knocked out of the race on lap 1 and Kimi Raikkonen's engine failed, the fact is the performance of the car has improved and they now have 2 drivers capable of scoring regular points. I believe Toyota will finish 4th in the championship.

Kazuki Nakajima has done the job

Kazuki Nakajima has overcome suggestions that he was at Williams-Toyota because of ties with the Japanese manufacturer. As a rookie, he has put in a good amount of race mileage and is tied with the more celebrated Nico Rosberg; this despite the fact, Nakajima and Rosberg have been given different upgrades at times.

Nakajima, Williams test driver in 2007, was not spectacular in the GP2 series last year but was rather steady and improved as the season went on; it seems quite similar in Formula One. He has not gotten into too much trouble with his driving. He has had only two collisions and has finished each race in a better position than his qualifying slot.

Rosberg came on the scene in 2006 in blazing fashion setting the fastest lap of the race at the Grand Prix of Bahrain. This year, Rosberg has been quicker than Nakajima but has not been able to string together the performance that was expected and appears that he will far short of his 2007 points total unless he really turns up the speed. Although rumors persist linking him to a drive with McLaren-Mercedes. I am sure there are many that would think you were crazy if you had said, "by Valencia, Nakajima and Rosberg will be tied in points."

In my opinion, given Nakajima's overall experience he has had the best season of all the rookies in F1. He definitely deserves to be on the grid.

Surprising Vettel and steady Raikkonen are on top

Toro Rosso driver, Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari driver, Kimi Raikkonen lead each of the Friday practice sessions respectively. Vettel on top in Session 1 and Raikkonen on top in Session 2.

Vettel surprised everyone with a 1:40.496 in Session 1 on the his last lap of session beating Ferrari's, Felipe Massa to the top spot. Raikkonen edged the home favorite, Renault's Fernando Alonso by only .020 seconds in Session 2; Raikkonen's time was 1:39.477. Another surprise was Honda's Jenson Button who posted the 3rd fastest time in Session 2.


Vettel
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69934

Raikkonen
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69947

European Grand Prix: Points of Interest

The 1st Friday practice is coming ever closer and in addition to the current battle between the major contenders of Ferrari, McLaren and BMW, I will be looking at several things this weekend in particular:

1. The performance of Force India. Technical Director Mike Gascoyne has predicted that their new gearbox will yield an improvement of .3 seconds per lap. So, we will see if they are able to get off the last row in qualifying.

2. Bridge section of the new Valencia track. F1 tire supplier Bridgestone asked the FIA to examine the bridge amidst fears that the configuration could cause tire punctures.

3. Toyota. Given the improvement of the team in 2008 it will be interesting to see how the come off the long break with a chance to solidify 4th place in the Constructor's Championship.

Happy Friday practice!

Driver File: Fernando Alonso

This article kicks off a weekly series that details drivers in the Formula One World Championship past and present. It is intended to be informational, but also rendering a little opinion. Given that we are in Spain this weekend, Da Professor Files takes a look at 2-times World Champion Fernando Alonso.

On the weekend of the European Grand Prix in Valencia, Spain, one must look at one of the factors that inevitably made a second F1 race in Spain possible, Fernando Alonso. Of course, there are other factors; teams test routinely in Spain and the weather is good. Also, there has been a huge increase in popularity of F1 in Spain. This surge is an effect of the native son of Oviedo, Spain success.

In 2005, Fernando Alonso became the youngest F1 Champion and after defending the title in 2006, he also became the youngest double Champion. In 2007, he became the second F1 driver to score at least 100 points for three consecutive seasons; the other is 7-times F1 World Champion, Michael Schumacher. What makes Fernando Alonso valuable to a team? He is a very quick driver and prides himself on being consistent across the range of conditions and circumstances that a driver may encounter. Also, he is very capable as it relates to a driver's responsibility to car development. This quality has been acknowledged by F1 Insiders. For example, Pierre Dupasquier, former head of Michelin's Competition Department has said of Alonso when Michelin was in F1, "Fernando has always been very precise in his comments. First of all, he has an incredible memory: he can recall the reference numbers of tires used in a test several months previously. He does the first part of the technical analysis for us, making selections. That is a rare quality."

Also, his former Team Principal at McLaren, Ron Dennis has remarked, "It's very obvious that all the guys who drive cars are competent drivers, but until you work with them as individuals, you don't know how much knowledge they have of the car, what makes a car go fast, and how to communicate to the engineers and designers in such a way that you're moving the development of the car in the right direction. He's clearly in a class of his own. It took me immediately back to the experiences I had working with Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda and Alain Prost. He really knows what he wants, and he's able to explain it to the engineers in such a way that we can give him what he needs."

Nevertheless, over the course of his career, just as Michael Schumacher, Alonso has been bashed for the most trivial of matters. However, he also has been justly criticized for some major lapses in judgment. Alonso's reputation has taken a serious beating particularly in 2007. He came across as a brat at times because his double World Champion status did not give him preferred treatment over his then teammate, rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton. Also, Alonso was implicated in an industrial espionage scandal in which Ferrari information had been leaked to McLaren and Alonso had access and seen the Ferrari data. It had been reported that during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Alonso attempted to use this knowledge of McLaren spying to blackmail Ron Dennis into giving him the desired preferred status within the McLaren team. Even with this debacle, Alonso finish only 1 point behind Kimi Raikkonen and tied his phenom teammate, Hamilton. Needless to say, Alonso and McLaren parted company at the end of 2007 and he reunited with his old team, Renault.

In 2008, Alonso has put in some championship caliber drives mixed in with some poor performances that may be symptomatic of the Renault package. Still, he is the eternal pragmatist when it comes to his chances and seems measured with his statements. Recently, Alonso remarked to Cadena Ser radio about his chances with Renault in 2009. "Honestly I think it's difficult, because although there are going to be completely new rules. Next year there could be changes, but I've never seen a car that's fighting at the back one year then sweep the field the next. It's always step by step. So it's hard to close the gap, whether it's the aerodynamics, the engine, or the tires. Whatever our problems are, we'd have to work very hard to close that gap. But, to be honest, it's going to be difficult to move ahead of them (top teams), and to make a car that will be superior to theirs." I suppose we will gauge Renault's chances if Alonso is driving another car next year or stays put with the team.

Next Da Professor Driver File: the enigmatic, defending F1 World Champion, Kimi Raikkonen.

Valencia Circuit: The Suzuka of the Streets

The Suzuka International Circuit was the first international speedway in Japan and has been widely heralded since it was completed in 1962 and served as a test track for Honda Motor Company. Suzuka still evokes many dramatic images from the past. One can look back to the legendary clashes of bitter rivals Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1989 and 1990; the title clinching performances of Damon Hill in 1996 and Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999; and mostly recently Michael Schumacher's improbable engine failure that all but gift-wrapped the 2006 Driver's Championship to Fernando Alonso. If you played the Pole Position series of games back in the day, you surely have driven this amazing track with great corners such as 130R and 'S' curve.

Suzuka is a true driver's circuit that is universally loved. In the words of Fernando Alonso, "it's a very trying track for drivers and very technical: you have to have a car that is stable in the front for the changes of direction, and a stable rear so you can have the confidence to attack the high speed corners. The other thing about Suzuka though, is that you have to take risks in the corners — and all drivers like that." It was a true shame to see this circuit axed from the Formula One schedule.

However, having looked at a collection of photos, simulations and now some actually video of the new Valencia Street Circuit in Spain, it appears that we may have a true gem in our hands. The Valencia Street Circuit, new for the 2008 F1 season, is the host for this year's F1 European Grand Prix. Although already celebrated for the great urban scenery the circuit itself appears to be quite the eye catcher and a technical challenge to drive. First, it is a street circuit. This in and of itself presents a real test of courage with concrete barriers lining the track and projected speeds of about 200 mph. Second, the number of corners will keep the drivers attention and will present a physical challenge. Moreover, there are a number of these corners that appear to be very quick and have a good sequence and flow to them that should be a real joy to watch in a Formula One car. In other sections, a driver's right foot will be tested by the slow corners as there is no traction control; a driver will have to have good rhythm to maximize the lap time. It is this mix of high speeds, technical corners, sweeps and physical demand which makes it similar to Suzuka.


In the words of Panasonic Toyota driver Jarno Trulli, "the track looks amazing. I have seen the lay-out and the location but the best way to prepare for racing on a new track is to get there as soon as possible to spot the small details on the track. The best way to understand a circuit is to drive it and I can not wait!" According to McLaren Mercedes driver, Lewis Hamilton, "it looks like an amazing track".

Still, a driver needs a team of engineers that also understand the challenge. Honda F1 Team Principal, Ross Brawn says, "it is going to be a medium to low downforce track with a couple of quick corners which will present a very challenging circuit in an exciting environment. The Valencia weekend is going to be a fascinating engineering challenge for the team and we are all looking forward to it." If there ever was a street circuit that would be a real driver's circuit my initial impressions would be that this is the one. Again, this track is going to be a blast to watch a Formula One race on. However, the proof is going to be when 1st Friday practice begins. For some comparsion, check out the onboard laps of each circuit. However, the onboard lap of Valencia is that of a lower formula race. Now imagine the speed generated that will be generated by an F1 car.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0MvA1tE0ZU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG-7tj9U2mQ